Recently, I recalled a phrase that I resonated with some 21 years ago, before I embarked on my career as a life and business coach. That was thousands of coaching hours and hundreds of clients ago, I remember when I first had this insight, this “Aha moment”: we ALL need a coach in life! For some reason, with all the focus on learning more, branding, specializing and expanding, this simple phrase dropped out of my mind. But it never dropped out of my heart and mind!
There have always been “life coaches” in the world, of course they didn’t call themselves as such, no one studied “that field”, but their value was always solid, vital and often transformational. In today’s world, the life coaching profession has taken hold, not always sufficiently professional guarded and communicated, but in my opinion, the need is greater and more acute than ever. We are living in a world of increasing complexity, confusion and conflict, which all invite us to take heed to what is REALLY important to us and what we can and should let go of. It is a world that challenges our values, upsets our balance, trespasses our boundaries and often forgets how and when to support us when the going gets rough and overwhelming.
I am well aware that most people will never know what a life coach is and does, probably don’t think they would ever need such a service, especially if they would need to pay for it. But tell me, who doesn’t need at times- or perhaps all throughout- a person who is fit, trained and experienced to:
Listen discretely and without judgement
Ask the questions that will challenge us and invite curiosity and creativity
Help us with our never-ending decisions in life
Be there to help us set goals, plans and accountability
Support us when we fall and brainstorm as we move forward
Stand with us we when we are facing life and adversity
Celebrate our wins and come back after our losses
A professional life coach is a person who brings with him/her:
Life experience, skills, education and the ability to learn
A high level of empathy and a personality which expresses authentic caring
Professional experience as a huge resource well for the benefit of others
A deep respect and willingness to stress process and not just quick solutions
So often in life we find ourselves having to respond to life, to make difficult decisions and to initiate and persevere challenging changes.
Who doesn’t do better when they are not alone, but supported and encouraged ?
Who amongst us doesn’t do better when somebody is there to show us our blind-spots, see new perspectives and help us sort threw the “muddle” that comes upon us every so often?
Who does not feel a lack of self-confidence at times, and when there is a “thinking and listening partner” there for them, the confidence and excitement returns to our veins?
The Life Coach in our lives has a very definitive role to play, it is really quite simple. It is only for us to decide when the timing is right and who is that person that we invite to “team up” with us for this next leg of the journey, to navigate the way to the next level.
Who needs a life coach? I do, you probably do, in fact, I think we all do.
We are not meant to do it all alone. Two works way better, safer and sounder than one.
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